Controller.



PLS. TURNER.

CONTROLLER. nruou'mn FILED JAN. 1S, 1913.

1,065,009. Patented June 17, 1913.

- 2 sums-sum 1.

WITNESSES: NVENTOR I R 2 ATTORNEY P. S. TURNER.

CONTROLLER.

urmcuzox FILED 1m. 15, 1913.

Patented June 17,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fay. J".

INVENTOR 8 W WITNESSES:

MIT/R- 6014/5 serieswith the motor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PERCY STUART TURNER, OF CHORLTON-CUM-HARDY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO WEST INGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

CONTROLLER.

Patented June 17', 1913.

Application filed January 15, 1913. Serial No. 742,214.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PERCY STUART TUR- NER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, in .5 the county of Lancaster, England, have invented a new and useful Im rovement in Controllers, of which the to lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to control systems for direct current electric motors and more particularly for motors which are operated at very slow speeds, even withlight loads, and with fine gradations in speed over a wide range of load.

One, way of accomplishing the above result is to em loy a lar e series resistance having a num r of taps ut, with the usual drum type of controller, it is difficult to obtain a suflicient number of taps to give the required adjustment. Also, the high resistance cuts down the field current as well as the armature current so that the motor does not operate under I the best conditions. Again, with a large series resistance, changes in load cause large differences in the speed of the motor. In order to overcome these dilliculties, it has already been proposed to make use of a resistance in a I shunt circuit to the motor armature, in addition to the resistance in series with the motor. Controllers for governing the speed of motors in accordance with this form of control are well known. but, with such controllers, the resistance shunt to the armature cannot be varied independently of the resistance in series with the motor. Hence, even with a large number of taps on the resistance and a corresponding number of controller positions, the changes in speed of the motor which can be obtained are not always sufiicient and the gradations in speed are and fine enough, particularly when widely var ing loads have to be handled.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved controller by means of which the shunt circuit around themotor armature maybe made and broken and the amount of resistance therein varied independently of the amount of resistance in An important feature of the invention consists in the construction and arrangement. of the controller, whereby theshunt circuit around the armature cannot be completed if less than, a-.;predetermincd amount is connected in a local circuit to act as a generator for braking urposes, the controller is so arranged that on y a shunt circuit "of com-' parat-ively high resistance can be completed around the armature.

,According to my invention, I employ a controller which com rises a plurality of switching devices capa -hle' of bei operated independently, one for making anc breaking the shunt circuit around the armature of the motor and varying the resistance therein, and the other for varyi the resistance connected in series with iie motor, and mechanical means for interconnecting and interlocking these switching devices the one with the other, whereby the switching device for governing the shunt circuit resistance can be operated only when the other switching device is either in its oil position or in such a position that not less than a predetermined amount of resistance is connected in series with the motor. In some cases, where the motor is used for braking or lowering purposes, the interconnecting or interlocking mechanism between the two switching devices is so arranged that when the switching device controlling the resistance in series with the motor is in certain of the braking positions, the other switching device can be operated only to vary the re sistance in the shunt circuit around the armature within predetermined limits.

Another feature of my invention consists in providing a mechanism for preventing the switching device which governs the shunt circuit around the motor armature fnom being operated to break this circuit exslept when the maximum amount of resistance is included in said shunt circuit.

A controller of the above indicated class I is particularly adapted for crane operating and, although not limited in this respect, in order that the nature of the invention may be clearly understood, a controller for a direct current series crane motor will be described for illustrative purposes.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a partially sectional elevation of the upper part of a controller constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line II-II of Fig. 1, Fig. i 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modified fornof my invention, and Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram, of the electrical connections employed in the preferred form of my invention.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawing, in which a supply circuit 1, 2 is adapted to deliver electrical the switching devices 7 and 8 is restrictedand limited to a prescribed sequence by means of an interlocking vmechanism 11 which is interposed between the several switching devices and cooperates therewith.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the controller 6 comprises a plurality of drums 15 and 16 which are respectively mounted on separate shafts 17 and 18, in accordance with the usual practice. The drum 15 hereinafter referred to as the main drum, together with its cocperating stationary contact fingers 19, constitutes the switching device 7 in series with the motor 3, while the other drum 16, which will be termed the shunt drum, forms, with its stationary contact fingers (not shown), the switching device 8. The drums 15 and 16 are severally provided with notched plates 21 and 22, and spring-actuated pivoted arms 23'and 24 are provided to cooperate therewith for determining the va-' rious operative positions, governing the direction of rotation and limiting the travel of the drums. In addition,the drums are respectively provided with cams 25 and 26 which, together with a cocperating springactuated bolt or rod 27 located between the drums, constitute the interlocking mecha nism 11. The interlocking bolt 27 is provided, at its free end, with a roller 28 and is inclosed in a cas ng 29 secured to a top plate 30 of the controller. A spring 31 is located between a shoulder 32 in the casing 29 and a collar 33 on the bolt 27, so that the roller 28 is at all times caused to engage the cam 26 on.the shunt drum 16. The free end of the bolt 27 cotiperates with the cam 25 on the main drum15, the said cam being provided with a segmental recess 34, the circum-- ferential length of which can be varied by the Insertion or withdrawal of one o'rmore removable pieces 35. As shown, the segmental recess 34 extends over an arc corresponding to the-arc traversed by the drum 15 when moved from the off position to its first two operative positions for hoisting the load. The notched plate 25 on the drum direction, is prevented.

' Assuming the devlces and circuit connecbolt 27 takes the position which permitsltlre main drum 15 to be moved in either direcoperative positions, since the end of the bolt drum 15 is in either its off position or thefirst or the second operat ve position-on is opposite the end of bolt 27 t-h'erebyzpere against the spring 31 and the, shunt drum 16 to be moved to any of its operativepositions, notwithstanding the engagement of the If the shunt drum 16 is moved in thedirec tion of the arrow, shown in each of Figs. 2

will be moved longitudinally by reason-of the roller 28 being forced outofthe notch in the cam plate 26. This movement of theinterlocking bolt 27 can only take place while the main drum 15 is in its first or in itssecfiend position, as hereinbefore mentioned. So long as the shunt drum 16 remains in-any main drum 15 can not be moved beyond the second operating position in the direction of the arrow shown in 2, nor beyond the ofl' position in, the other, or lowering ing bolt 27 being in the segmental recess 34.- It will be understood that, as soon as 'the shunt drum 16 reaches the OH. position, the roller 28 on the bolt 27 will be-lnoved into the recess 40 in the cam 26 and will be withdrawn from the segmental recess 34, whereone of its operative positions in either direction. However, as soon as the-main drum 15 occupies any oneof'its positions other than the off or the first two positions on the hoisting side, the shunt drum 16 will be locked against movement because of engagement of the bolt 27 with the cam 25.

Itwill, of course, be understood that in the first operative position of the main drum 15, the maximum amount of the resistance 9 is in series with the motor 3, while, in the mitting the bolt to be moved longitudinally roller 28 with the periphery of'thfe cam 26;

the first operative position, except in one tions to be as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the operation of the mechanism is as follows: So long as the shunt drum 16 is in its ofl position, the roller 28 on the interlocking bolt 27 enters a notch 40 in the cam 26 and'the' tion from the off position to any of its 27 does not engage the cam 25. If the main the hoisting side, the recess 34in the cam 25 and 4, from the 01f position to its first operative position the interlocking bolt 27 one of its operative hoisting positions, the

direction, owing to the end of the interlockupon the main drum 15.can be moved to any second operative position, although a certain amount of this resistor is cut out, the

, drum 16, the shunt circuit around thearmature 4 is completed with only a small amount of the resistance 10 included therein, the value of the resistance being increased step-' by-step as the shunt drum -16 ismoved until, in the last position, the maximum amountof resistance is in circuit. Further movement of the shunt drum' 16 in the same direction to the ofl' position serves to' break the shunt circuit.

As explained above, the shunt drum 16 cannot be moved from its ofi' position in a direction which would result in the shunt circuit around the armature 4 being completed with the maximum amount of the resistance 16 the-rein. Neither can the shunt drum 16 be moved from its first operative position to the off position, except by passing through the last operative posit on, so that the interruption of the shunt circuit around the armature 4 is prevented, until the current therein has been reduced by the insertion of the maximum amount of resistance 10.

To obtain the desired variations in speed of the motor 3, the controller 6 is operated as follows: The shunt drum 1.6 is moved to its operative position in which a shunt circuit of low resistance is completed around the armature 4 of the motor 3 and the series drum l5is then moved to its first hoisting position. To increase the speed of the motor 3 by small steps, the shunt drum 16 may then be moved to one or another of its operative positions in which more resistance is included in the shunt circuit around the motor. By moving the shunt drum 16 from its last operative position to the oil position, the shunt circuit on the armature 4 of the motor is broken and the motor then attains the maximum speed possible on the first notch of the main drum 15 of the controller. The speed of the motor may then be further gradually increased, if necce"s sary, by moving the main drum 15 to one or another of its remaining operative positions in the usual way.

It will be understood that the desired speed of the motor may, in some cases, be obtained by manipulation of the shunt drum 16 alone, while the main drum 15 is in its first position. On the other hand, should the motor 3 fail to start with the main drum 15 in the first position and after the shuntdrum- 16 has been rotated through all its positions to the off position in which the shunt around the motor armature is broken, the shunt drum 16 should again be moved to its first operative position and the main drum 15 then be rotated to its second position'in which a portion of theresistance 9 in' series with theinotor 3 is cut out. Further manipulation of the shunt and main" drums is then efl"ect'ed, as may be found necessary, in the manner. already described. The interlocking mechanism 11, so far described, only permits of a shunt circuit of r vary1n *,r'esistance being established around the armature 4 in certain of the operative positions of the main drum 15 on its hoisting ,side. It may be, however, desirable in some casesto so arrange the interlocking mechanism that a shunt circuit-of varying resistance may be completed around the.

armature in certain of the lowering positions of the main drum 15 in which, as is usual, the armature 4 and'field 30f the motor are To accomplish this result, the modified form of controller shown in Fig. 3 may be employed.

Referring to Fig. 3, a cam 44 of the main short circuited through a variable resistance.-

drum 15 has a segmental recess 45 in a similar position to the recess 34 in Fig. 2, but somewhat increased in depth, while an'additional segmental recess 46 of less radial depth is provided\ corresponding with certain of the operative positions on the lowering side of the main controller drum 15. The circumferential extent of both of these recesses is preterably capableof variation in the manner hereinbefore described, by means of removablepieces35. A portion 47 of the cam 48 covering the part of its circumference corresponding with those positions of the shunt drum in which the greater art of the resist-tide 10 in the shunt circuit is cut out, is greater in radius than the remainder of the cam. The notched plate 49 on the shunt "drum 16 is provided with a notch 50 so designed that the spring arm 24 will. prevent the, drun'rbi ngmoved from its off position in zTjeounter-c1ockwise direction, which would -include the minimum amount of resistance 10 in the shunt circuit around the armature 4. The plate 49 is also provided With a notch 51 arranged to prevent the shunt drum 16 from being moved from its last operative position, in which the minimum amount of resistance is included in the shunt circuit, to the off position in which said circuitis broken. In order to break the shunt circuit, the drum 16 must be rotated in the reverse direction to the 1 ing operative positions gradually reduces the amount of this resistance. The operation of this form of interlocking mechanism is as follows: When the main drum 15 is in its off position or in any one of its operative positions on the hoisting side corresponding to which the segmental recess 45 in the cam 44 is provided, the shunt drum 15 may be moved to any of its positions, notwithstanding the greater size of the cam 48 in a radial direction over a portion 47 of its circumference, as the increased radial depth of the segmental recess 45 on the cam 44 of the main drum 15 in such positions will permit of further movement to the left of the interlocking bolt 27 which is caused by reason of the engagement of the roller 28 with the portion 47 of the cam 48. It will be understood, therefore, that the operation of the controller 6 on its hoisting side, may be the same with the modified form of interlocking mechanism as with that first described herein. As soon as the main drum 15 has been moved to one of the operating positions on the lowering side, corresponding to which a segmental recess 46 is provided in the cam 44, the shunt drum 16 can be moved from its off position only in counter-clockwise direction, on account of the relatively shallow depth of the recess 46 and the increased radius of the cam portion 47. In this way, the resistance 10 in the shunt circuit around the armature 4 when the main drum 15 is in any of its lowering positions, cannot be reduced beyond a predetermined amount.

In a crane controller, such as has been de scribed herein, certain of the lowering positions correspond to the braking positions on an ordinary controller in which the armature and field of the motor are short circuited through a variable amount of resistance,

and it is well understood that, as the con-f troller is moved through these positions, theresistance through which the armature and field are short-circuited, is gradually increased It is important that, in these positions, it must not be possible to complete the shunt circuit around the armature except when there is not less than a predetern'iined amount of resistance in the braking circuit. This is provided for by laying out the seg' mental recess 45 in the cam plate 44 on the main drum, 15 to extend only over those lowering positions in which the necessary amount of resistance is included in the braking circuit.

To obtain the desired variations in speed, the operation of the controller provided with the modified form of interlocking mechanism described above is as follows: On the hoisting side, the controller is operated in the same manner as that described with reference to the first mentioned form of interlocking mechanism, except that the shunt drum 16 is first rotated from its off position to the last of its operative positions before the main drum 15 is moved to its first or second notch, and to increase the speed of the motor it is subsequently rotated backward to the of? position. On the lowering side, the first positions of the main drum 15 will provide the usual braking circuit with gradually increasing amounts of resistance. As soon as a position is reached in which the value of this resistance has been increased to the desired degree, the interlocking mechanism 11 will permit the shunt drum 16 to be operated to, complete and vary the resistance 10 in the shunt circuit around the armature 4 of the motor to etfect the desired speed changes. As already mentioned, the largest amount of resistance is included in the shunt circuit in the first operative position of the shunt drum 16, and in order to decrease the speed of the motor 3,the shunt drum 16 is moved to others of its positions in which the amount of resistance 10 is gradually decreased, thereby diverting more and more of the cur rent flowing through the armature 4. Owing, however, to the fact that the interlocking mechanism 11 will not permit the shunt drum 1G to be rotated beyond a 'certain position on the lowering side, the resistance 10 in the shunt. circuit around the armature 4 cannot be reduced below a predetermined amount.

While, for the purpose 'of enabling a clear understanding of the invention to be obtained, a specific form of interlocking mechanism has been described in connection with a particular form of controller, it is of course to be understood that my invention is not limited to the structural arrangements set forth, as many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. -l'.'I claim as my invention:

1. An electric control system embodying a motor provided with a field magnet winding and an armature, independent resistances respectively adapted to be connected in series with the motor and in shunt to the armature, switching devices for manipulating said resistances, and means dependent upon the relative position of said devices for rendering. certain of said devices temporarily inoperative.

2. Anelectric control system embodying a motor provided with a field magnet winding and anal-mature, independent resistances respectively adapted to b'e connected in series with the motor and in shunt to the armature, separate controller drums adapted to be employed in regulating said resistances for controlling the operation of the motor, and means adapted to allow the use of said shuntresistance only when a predetermined amount of said series resistance is included in the circuit.

3. In an electric control system, a motor provided with a field magnet winding and an armature, independent resistances respectively adapted to be connected in series with the motor and in shunt to the armature, a controller provided with a plurality of drums adapted to be employed in regulating said series and shunt resistances tor controlling the operation of the motor, cams severally attached to said drums, and mechanical interlocking means adapted to engage said camsa'nd prevent the operation of said shunt drum when the series drum is incertain predetermined positions.

4. The combination with a plurality of movable switch members havingposition-accentuating devices, of interlocking mechanism comprising cams on the respective 'movable switch members, an interposed stationary guide member, and a rod and resilientactuating means therefor disposed entirely within said guide member, said rod being actuated by either cam to lock the other against movement when the switch member having the actuating cam is in certain predetermined positions.

5. In an electric controller, an inclosing case, a plurality of rotatable drums disposed therein and provided with cooperating stationary and movable contact members, mechanical position-accentuating devices for said drums comprising notched disks severally attached to the drum shafts and independently-mounted spring-actuated pawls maintained in engagement with said disks, cams severally afiixed to the shafts of said drums and mechanical interlocking means disposed between said drums, said means comprising an independently-mounted casing, a rod provided with a roller at one end and adapted to move longitudinally within said casing, and a helical spring associated withsaid rod and disposed within said cas ing and adapted to maintain said rod in selective engagement with said cams for preventing the operation of each drum when the other is in certain tions.

6. The combination with a plurality of movableswitch members having position-accentuating devices, of interlocking mechanism, comprising cams on the respective movable switch membersfan interposed tubular guide member, a longitudinally movable rod located in said guide member and projecting from its ends to engage said cams, and a helical spring surrounding said rod within said guide member and serving to hold one end of the rod yieldingly against the corresponding cam.

7. A mechanism for interlocking a plurality of controller drums embodying a plurality of cams severally aflixed to said drums, a rod provided with a collar and a roller at one end, an independently-mounted casing provided with an internal shoulder and disposed between said drums for inpredetermined posiv closing and guiding said rod, and a helical springdisposed around said rod and Within said casing and interposed between said 001- lar and said shoulder for maintaining said rod in selective engagement with said cams and preventing the operation of each drum when the other is in certain predetermined positions. i

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this nineteenth day of December 1912.

H. B. GREEN, r EUs'rIon H- PARKER.

copies a: this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

